Make it rain silver snow
by Penny Weasley
Summary: Misaki thinks she's a mormal 12 year old. Wakes up late and loves to run. But when she finds out that her father is Trunks Brief and that she's quarter saiyan, things are bound to get interesting. *COMPLETED*
1. Default Chapter

Twenty-year-old Ryo Ikari played with her long light brown hair as her university lecturer droned on with his speech.   
  
'Man this is boring' Ryo thought as she leaned back in her chair at the back of the class. 'I thought that once I started university I wouldn't have to put up with these boring lectures like I did in high school.'   
  
"Now class," the professor said, breaking Ryo out of her daydream, "I will now hand you each an envelope with a piece of paper inside. On the piece of paper will be the name of your partner that you will work with for this next assignment. Miss Ikari, you will have to collect the information about this assignment off of your partner since you've spent the entire class daydreaming.'   
  
Ryo sweat dropped and grabbed one of the brown paper envelopes that where being passed around the class before handing the pile to the person sitting next to her.   
  
The bell rang and the class packed up their things and left the room.   
  
Ryo made her way out of the building and walked around the campus grounds until she found an empty park bench and sat down. She opened her book bag and took out an essay that needed to be completed before next Monday.   
  
She wasn't sitting alone for long before she was joined by another twenty year old with shoulder length brown hair wearing a fashionable outfit.   
  
"Hey Sis," Ryo said as the young woman sat on the bench next to her, "you finished your classes for the day?"   
  
"Nah," the young woman replied, "I got my last one in about twenty minutes time. How about you?"   
"I just had my last class the and it turns out I have to work on some assignment that I have no idea about because that dodo of a professor was so boring he nearly but me to sleep. Can you believe it Ritsuko! Just my luck to not pay attention when something important is being said!" Ryo whined to her twin.   
  
Ritsuko chuckled at her sister's misfortune before saying, "Well maybe you could ask someone in your class about it if you don't want to go talk to your professor."   
  
"Oh yea!" Ryo exclaimed as she suddenly remembered something. "I'm meant to get the info off of my work partner."   
  
"Huh? What partner?" asked a confused Ritsuko as she watched Ryo dig into her bag.   
  
Ryo pulled out the brown envelope and then looked at her sister.   
"Everyone in my class was divided up into pairs to work on this assignment. In here is the name of my partner."  
  
Ryo tore open the brown envelope and pulled out the piece of paper, with Ritsuko looking over her shoulder.   
  
"Trunks Briefs?" Ryo read aloud with a frown, "who the heak is that?"   
  
"Only the most popular guy on the campus Ryo!" Ritsuko exclaimed in disbelief, "I can't believe you've never heard of him!"   
  
"Well I'm not a socialite like you," Ryo retorted, "what does he look like?"   
  
"Lavender hair, blue eyes, great smile," Ritsuko explained, "I saw him about ten minutes ago in the library if your interested."   
  
"Thanks Sis," said Ryo as she put her incomplete essay in her bag and got up off the bench, "I'll see you at home later ok?"   
  
"Yea see you later," Ritsuko said.   
  
Ryo waved to her twin and then made her way to the library. As she walked she admired the cheery blossoms in full bloom on the trees planted all over the campus.   
  
After passing several block buildings Ryo soon found a large building that had 'LIBRARY' written on it.   
  
Pushing the glass doors open Ryo entered and started her search for her work partner.   
  
Ryo went up and down each row of books searching for him without success. When she couldn't find him anywhere on the first floor she went over to a flight of stairs.   
  
The bottom level of the library was were all the books where kept and upstairs was where the computers were.   
  
Ryo looked at each student to see if they fitted Ritsuko's description of him without success. Becoming frustrated with her unsuccessful search, Ryo went over to a student sitting at one computer and asked if he had seen Trunks.   
  
The student pointed to the far corner of the library and went back to typing on his computer.   
  
After thanking the student, Ryo followed his directions and she heard two voices talking in the far corner of the room.   
  
"I swear Goten, you are completely computer illiterate man!" one voice said.   
  
"Hey it's not my fault I grew up away from modern technology!" the other said back.   
  
"I've shown you how to use this program a thousand times already! I can't believe you still don't get it!" the first voice said.   
  
Ryo walked towards the voices and soon two young men came into view. "Maybe it's the quality of the teaching skills that are to blame," Ryo said lightly. She hated it when she heard other people being put down.   
  
"Who asked?" snapped one with lavender hair and both boys looked over to Ryo.   
  
One of them had short black hair and black eyes, and the other had blue eyes and lavender hair.   
  
Totally forgetting Ritsuko's description of her work partner, Ryo walked over to the boy with black hair and started to ask about the problem he was having with the computer.   
  
After a few minutes of quick coaching, he seemed to understand how the computer program worked.   
  
"Thanks a lot," he said, "I'm Son Goten by the way."   
  
"Nice to meet you Goten," said Ryo with a smile, "I'm Ikari Ryo."   
  
The guy next to Goten snorted. "What kind of a name is Ryo?" he snickered.   
  
Ryo narrowed her eyes. "Do us all a favour and take a Valium pretty boy!" Ryo snapped.   
  
The boy stopped laughing and glared at Ryo while Goten covered his mouth with his hand and shook with silent laughter.   
  
"What are you doing here anyway?" the boy snapped.   
  
"Not that it's any of your business, but I was looking for Trunks Briefs."   
  
The boy smirked at her and Ryo suddenly remembered her sister's words: 'Lavender hair, blue eyes, great smile.'   
  
"Oh great!" groaned Ryo, "I'm stuck with this turkey for a legal studies assignment."   
  
"Hey who you calling a turkey!" yelled Trunks.   
  
Several people went "Shhh" at the arguing pair before going back to work.   
  
"Ok listen up good pretty boy," hissed Ryo, "meet me in the cafeteria at twelve tomorrow. If you don't show you're a dead man."   
  
With a quick goodbye to Goten, Ryo turned and left the library.   
  
Trunks watched her go with disbelief. No one had ever spoken to him like that and gotten away with it.   
  
"Geez Trunks," Goten whined, "why do you always get the good looking ones?"   
  
Trunks just growled. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ryo sat at a table by the window in the collage cafeteria eating a chocolate sundae. As she waited for Trunks to arrive she was flipping through some pages of a textbook.   
  
Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone sit down across from her. She looked up over the top of the textbook and saw that it was Trunks. Ryo closed her book and put it in her book bag.   
  
"Good afternoon," Ryo said dully, but politely.   
  
"Noon," replied Trunks in the same manner.   
  
"Let skip the friendly chitchat and get down to work don't you think?" asked Ryo.   
  
"Works for me," replied Trunks.   
  
"Ok first question," started Ryo, "what's this assignment on?"   
  
Trunks smirked and folded his arms over his chest.   
  
"I'm glad one of us was paying attention in class yesterday," he said mockingly.   
  
Ryo just glared at him since she couldn't think of a good comeback and Trunks took some lined paper out of his bag.   
  
"Here," he said tossing them across the table to her, "I made some notes about it in class yesterday."   
  
"Thanks," Ryo said dryly and started to read the notes.   
  
As she read, she was unaware that Trunks was watching her closely. He watched her light green eyes move from side to side over the paper and how her lovely brown hair shone in the midday sunlight. As he examined her face with his light blue eyes he realised what Goten had meant yesterday when he had said that Ryo was good looking.   
  
Trunks then spotted a piece of string that was caught in her hair.   
  
"Stay still for a minute,' he said to her as he leaned across the table to remove it from her hair.   
  
Ryo looked at him curiously as he came closer to her and their eyes connected as Trunks reached out for the string.   
  
"Kissing on the first date! How romantic!" someone behind Trunks squealed excitedly.   
  
Both Ryo and Trunks looked up and saw Ritsuko beaming at them.   
  
Trunks and Ryo went bright red before they said in unison, "We where not!"   
  
"Oh come on Ryo, you know you can't hide things from your sister. You two are digging on each other I can tell." Ritsuko said smugly.   
  
"I'll second that," said Goten who had been watching the whole scenario from the other side of the cafeteria, "I've known Trunks all my life and I can tell when he likes someone."   
  
"SHUDDUP!" Ryo and Trunks screamed together.   
  
Goten and Ritsuko exchanged knowing looks and walked out of the cafeteria together.   
  
Ryo looked back at Trunks who was now holding the piece of string with two fingers.   
  
"Sorry about her," she said apologetically, "Ritsuko sees things and interprets them wrong all the time."   
  
Trunks sat down in his seat and the two sat in silence for a while, both still wearing a tinge of red on their faces.   
  
Ryo finished reading the notes and handed them back to Trunks.   
"Thanks" she said, "how about I do the first half and you do the second half ok?"   
  
"Sounds good," said Trunks.   
  
"Well I'll see you later then," Ryo said and got up to leave.   
  
Trunks sat at the table watching her leave for a few minutes before he grabbed his stuff and raced after her.   
  
"Ryo wait up!" he yelled.   
  
Ryo stoped and turned around to look at him with a blank expression. "What's up?" she asked.   
  
"Umm you see, we sort of got off on the wrong foot yesterday and I was hoping to make it up to you," Trunks stammered nervously, "Would you like to go out for a drink tonight?"   
  
"Sure," Ryo said with a smile, "I'd like that."   
  
'Geez she sure is pretty when she smiles' thought Trunks dreamily. "Great," he said with a grin, "I'll pick you up at eight. Where do you live?"   
  
Ryo took out a piece of paper out of her bag and wrote her address and phone number on it. She then handed it to Trunks and left. 


	3. Chapter 3

Number three "Yesterday you hated him and tonight our going out on a date with him. That's so like you Ryo." Ritsuko said as she watched her sister apply her make up in the mirror.   
  
"It's not a date Sis," Ryo said as she put some eyeliner on, "we're just going out for a drink. That's all."   
  
"Uh hu. Right" said Ritsuko, not at all convinced.   
  
Ryo finished her make and turned to her sister who was lying on her bed. "How do I look?" she asked.   
  
Ritsuko examined her sister closely before giving her verdict.   
Ryo was wearing some tight zip up jeans and a red tank top. Her hair was let loose except for two hair clips to keep the hair out of her eyes and around her neck was a gold locket in the shape of a love heart.   
  
"Great," said Ritsuko with a smile.   
  
"Thanks Sis," said Ryo and gave her a hug.   
  
Downstairs there was a knock at the door.   
  
Ryo grabbed her denim jacket and ran downstairs. She opened the door to let Trunks in. He was wearing baggy blue pants, a blue jacket and a black muscle shirt."   
  
"Hi you look great," he said when she greeted him, "ready to go?"   
  
"Yea sure, let's go," Ryo said with a smile. "See ya later Sis!" she called upstairs.   
  
"Have fun!" Ritsuko yelled back and the two left the house. 


	4. Chapter 4

Half and hour later, Trunks and Ryo where sitting in a small bar in the middle of town.   
  
"So it's just you and your sister living in that big house?" Trunks asked as he took a sip of his drink.   
  
"Yea our parents left it to us before they passed on," Ryo answered. "It's a good thing that it's so big because Ritsuko lives like a slob."   
  
Trunks laughed at this. "You two seem pretty close,' he remarked.   
  
"Well she is my twin," said Ryo simply. "How about you?" she asked curiously, "do you live with your family?"   
  
"Yea I live with my parents and my sister at the Capsule Corp building," he said, "my family owns Capsule Corp."   
  
"Oh cool," said Ryo with a smile.   
  
"You kids up to trying something new?" the smiling bar tender asked them, "new drink arrived today does it interest you?"   
  
"I'm game," said Ryo, "How about you Trunks?"   
  
"Sure," he said with a shrug.   
  
The bar tender grabbed a yellow bottle off of the shelf and poured two glasses." Careful now," he said, "this stuff is meant to be strong."   
  
"We'll be Ok," said Trunks and he and Ryo took a glass each.   
  
Ryo tasted the drink cautiously before finishing off the glass in a few gulps. "This is good," she said to the bar tender.   
  
"Yea," agreed Trunks, put us down for another one will ya."   
  
The bar tender smiled and poured them another glass.   
  
After about four more of these Ryo and Trunks seemed to be acting a whole lot happier. They giggled at the smallest things and their language seemed a bit slurred   
  
"Hey Trunks can I taste your drink?" asked Ryo with a silly smile.   
  
"Sure," said Trunks holding out his glass to her.   
  
However, instead of taking the glass, Ryo lent over and kissed Trunks on the mouth, moving her tongue around in his mouth.   
  
When they broke apart, Ryo giggled and said, "Tastes pretty good."   
  
Trunks sat back for a moment before he grabbed Ryo by the back of the neck and kissed her back passionately. 


	5. Chapter 5

Trunks woke up with the next morning with a killer headache.   
'What happened?' he thought to himself. He couldn't seem to remember the events of last night very well.   
  
He had been in a bar with Ryo and they had been drinking a new type of alcohol. But anything beyond that was a blur.   
  
He looked under his sheets and saw that he wasn't wearing anything. All his clothes were lying on the floor next to his bed.   
  
He looked onto the bed next to him and saw that all the sheets where crinkled. And lying on the bed next to him was Ryo's gold locket.   
  
Trunks then remembered what happened last night when he and Ryo got back from the bar. "Oh no!" he groaned.   
  
He dressed quickly, grabbed the locket off the bed and raced downstairs.   
  
When he go there he saw his sister Bra eating breakfast at the kitchen table.   
  
"Bra have you seen Ryo?" he asked frantically.   
  
"Huh Ryo? Oh the girl you came home with last night. Yea, I offered her some breakfast but she refused. She seemed really upset about something," Bra said as she munched on her cereal.   
  
"Thanks," Trunks said and ran out the front door and flew off in the direction of Ryo's house.   
  
When he got there he landed and banged on the front door with his fist. After a few moments the door opened and he saw Ritsuko standing in the doorway.   
  
"Ritsuko," he blurted out, "is Ryo home?"   
"No," Ritsuko said, "she rang me from a motel that she checked into this morning to say she was alright but she wouldn't give me the address. Come in and tell me what happened last night."   
  
Trunks entered the house and the two went into the kitchen.   
Ritsuko made them a cup of tea and Trunks told her all about the events of last night.   
  
When he had finished there was a long pause between the two.   
  
"Ok," Ritsuko said eventually, "if she tells me where the motel is, I'll let you know ok? Don't worry, I'm sure things will work out for the best."   
  
Trunks however, wasn't the least bit convinced. 


	6. Chapter 6

A month had now passed since that fateful night. Ryo, after a week or so in the motel, had moved back home but she hadn't gone back to school and she had made Ritsuko swear not tell Trunks.   
  
Trunks was worried out of his mind but Ryo couldn't face him. Her feeling of guilt was painful and she couldn't bring herself to forgive herself for her stupidity.   
  
Lately she had been having stomach cramps and she'd been throwing up most mornings so she had decided to go see a doctor.   
  
"So what's the diagnosis doc? Anything serious?" she asked nervously.   
  
"Congratulations Miss Ikari," the doctor said beaming, "you're going to have a baby."   
  
  
***************************************************   
  
"This is fantastic!" Ritsuko screamed with delight when Ryo told her the news.   
  
Ritsuko hugged her sister tightly.   
"You're gonna be a mummy and I'm gonna be an aunt!"   
  
Ryo smiled. "Yea" she said.   
  
"When are you going to tell Trunks?" Ritsuko asked, letting go of Ryo.   
  
"Trunks?" Ryo asked.   
  
"Yea Trunks," Ritsuko said rolling her eyes, "you know, the baby's father."   
"He doesn't need to know," Ryo said quietly.   
  
"What you're not going to tell him!" Ritsuko screamed, "he has a right to know."   
  
"I can't!" Ryo said with tears rolling down her face, "this is my fault. I kissed him! Not the other way around."   
  
"He is equally responsibly," Ritsuko snapped back.   
  
There was a silence before Ryo said softly, "That may be so, but I need to go somewhere to figure all this out."   
  
"Where?" asked Ritsuko.   
  
"Somewhere by the coast," said Ryo, "just while I think things over. Please Ritsuko, I know you don't think what I'm doing is right, but I have to do this."   
  
"Alright," sighed Ritsuko, "I'll make the arrangements."   
  
***************************************************   
  
Ryo put her last bag in the taxi boot and slammed it shut.   
  
She turned to Ritsuko who was standing next to her and gave her a hug.   
  
"I'll call," she said quietly.   
  
"Take care of yourself and come back soon," Ritsuko mumbled.   
  
"I will."   
  
The two women smiled at one another and Ryo climbed into the taxi.   
  
As it drove off Ritsuko smiled and waved until it was out of sight.   
  
"She won't come back until the baby's born" Ritsuko muttered.   
"Ryo just isn't strong enough to tell him." 


	7. Chapter 7

9 Months Later   
  
Ryo laid back on the white hospital sheets with a groan. She was drenched in sweat and completely exhausted. And after 12 hours of labour, who could blame her?   
  
"Miss Ikari," said one of the nurses, "you can hold your daughter now."   
  
Ryo sat up again and the nurse handed her the baby wrapped up in a bundle of pink blankets.   
  
Ryo smiled and at that moment she felt that all her pain had been worth it.   
***************************************************   
"She's adorable Ryo," cooed Ritsuko as she rocked her niece back and forth in her arms, "what are you going to call her?"   
  
"Misaki," Ryo said with a smile.   
  
"Nice name," her twin said smiling and when she looked back at Misaki she gasped.   
  
"What's wrong?" Ryo said leaping off of the bed and running over to her sister.   
  
"Look at her eye colour," Ritsuko said softly.   
  
Ryo looked down at Misaki and stared in shock at her daughter's eyes. They weren't green like hers or her sister's but a brilliant blue.   
  
"Take me home Sis," Ryo whispered.   
***************************************************  
Ryo put Misaki in her crib and covered her with a soft blanket.   
She was glad to living once more in her old house.   
  
"You're not going to tell him are you?" a voice said from behind her.   
  
"I want to do this one my own," Ryo said, turning to see her sister. "It wouldn't be fair to put this on him now. He has a life of his own to lead."   
  
"But you don't have to do this alone Ryo," Ritsuko said, "Trunks is a good man and he would make a great father for Misaki."   
  
"I know, but that's my decision and I'm sticking to it." 


	8. Chapter 8

Ritsuko was woken up by the sound of Misaki screaming her lungs out. 'Strange' she thought to herself, 'Ryo is usually the first up when Misaki's hungry'.   
  
She wearily crawled out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown.   
She opened her way down the hall and to Misaki's room.   
  
She opened the door and gasped at what she saw. Ryo was lying on the floor in tears. She tried to get back up on her feet but she fell back to the floor.   
  
"Sis what's wrong?" asked Ritsuko shaking with fear.   
  
"Please don't worry Ritsuko," said Ryo as she grabbed Misaki's crib to help herself up, "look after Misaki."   
  
Ritsuko grabbed the lavender haired baby from her cot and watched with fear as her sister tried to get to her feet with the support of the cot. Ryo managed to get to her feet with a great deal of shaking and stood up for a few seconds. Then with a shriek pain Ryo crashed to the floor.   
  
"Ryo!" Ritsuko screamed over Misaki's wailing.   
  
"I can't get up Sis," Ryo whispered.   
  
"Stay still," Ritsuko commanded, "I'll go call the ambulance."   
  
Ritsuko ran downstairs to the phone with Misaki still crying in her arms.   
  
"What seems to be the problem miss?" said the emergency operator.   
"My sister can't bloody stand up! That's the problem!"   
Ritsuko yelled.   
  
"Alright miss, we've traced your phone call, the ambulance will be there soon."   
  
Ritsuko hung up and ran back upstairs. Ryo was still lying out on the floor.   
  
"I just came to give Misaki her bottle," Ryo whispered, "and suddenly I couldn't feel my legs anymore, and I fell."   
  
"It's ok," Ritsuko whispered as she stroked her sisters hair, "it's ok."   
  
When the paramedics arrived they put Ryo on a stretcher and carried her to the ambulance.   
  
"Stay here with Misaki," Ryo whispered, holding onto Ritsuko's hand.   
  
The paramedics then loaded Ryo into the back of the ambulance and Ritsuko lost her grip on Ryo's hand.   
  
As the ambulance sped off towards the hospital, Ritsuko held Misaki close to her and whispered, "she'll be alright, she'll be alright." 


	9. Chapter 9

Twelve year old Misaki Ikari tumbled down the stairs with a crash. For the third time that week she was late for school. She would have been up on time if she hadn't smashed her clock to smithereens accidentally the week before.   
  
It always seemed that Misaki was always having trouble controlling her strength.   
  
Misaki got off of the floor and raced into the kitchen while in the process of brushing her long lavender hair.   
  
As she grabbed her packed lunch off the bench, her aunt came in wearing her pajamas.   
"Late again Misaki?" Ritsuko asked as she made herself a coffee.   
  
"Yep," Misaki said as she put her bag on her back, "is it cool if Mikiko comes over this afternoon?"   
  
"Sure," Ritsuko said as she filled the kettle with water, "but keep the noise down when she's here. Your mother will be back from hospital this afternoon and she will probably want to take a rest."   
  
Misaki nodded and looked at her watch. She yelled in alarm when she saw the time and raced out the door.   
"Bye Aunt Ritsuko!" Misaki yelled and raced down the street to school.   
***************************************************   
  
Ryo sat in her wheelchair in the backyard later that day and watched a group of birds in the peach tree and sighed.   
  
It had been twelve years since she had been diagnosed with MS and despite her illness she had been able to raise Misaki with only the help of her sister.   
  
However, instead of her illness improving, it had gotten worse.   
And in her last trip to the hospital, she had become more aware than ever that her time was nearly up.   
  
"How long?" Ritsuko said from behind her. She too knew that Ryo was nearly out of time.   
  
"Four weeks," Ryo whispered.   
  
"That's all!" Ritsuko screamed, tears running down her face.   
  
"You and I both knew that this was going to happen," Ryo said, trying to comfort her sister.   
  
"But you can't go now!" her twin sobbed, "Misaki needs you! I need you."   
  
"I have had twelve wonderful years with my Misaki she will be alright. And you will move on to greater things Ritsuko, you will soon be leaving this town to start on your new job," Ryo said soothingly.   
  
"Screw the job!" Ritsuko screamed.   
  
A few weeks ago Ritsuko had received a phone call informing her that she had gotten the job that she had been interviewed for.   
  
This job however, meant that she would have to leave her home to accept it. Ritsuko had agreed and would be leaving within a month.   
  
"But," said Ritsuko as she stopped sobbing, "if I take the job who will look after Misaki when you are gone?"   
  
Ryo muttered a name and Ritsuko could have screamed with joy when she heard it. 'Finally' she thought 'my sister has come to her senses'. 'But has she come to them twelve years to late?' 


	10. Chapter 10

Trunks Briefs lent back in his chair and sighed. He couldn't remember the last time when he hadn't been bored. Being the president of Capsule Corp wasn't a very thrilling job.   
  
Suddenly his secretary Jan poked her head in the door.   
"Visitor for you Mr Briefs," she chirped, "should I send her in?"   
  
"Yes thank you Jan," said Trunks, wondering who could be visiting him without an appointment. At first he though it would be Goten but this visitor was female.   
  
"Go straight in," He heard Jan say and his visitor walked in.   
  
His eyes grew wide when he saw who it was.   
  
"Ritsuko?" he gasped.   
  
Ritsuko nodded and gave him a small smile.   
"Long time no see Trunks," she said softly.   
  
Trunks took a minute to get over the shock before he gave her a grin. "So what brings you here old friend?" he asked.   
  
"Well, you see," Ritsuko wasn't sure how to say what she had to tell him next, "you need to come home with me."   
  
Trunks looked confused. "Huh?" he said.   
  
"Please Trunks," she pleaded, "Ryo has to see you. And she wasn't able to come here herself. This is very important."   
  
Both adults where quiet for a minute. Trunks had put all the business with Ryo behind him years ago and he wasn't sure if he wanted to go digging it up again.   
  
"Ok Ritsuko," he sighed, "you lead the way."   
  
***************************************************   
"What happened Ryo?" Trunks asked in shock as he saw her sitting in her wheelchair in the backyard.   
  
"Nice to see you too," said Ryo calmly.   
"Sorry," apologised Trunks, "it's just that..."   
  
"Don't worry, the wheelchair can have that effect on people sometimes." Ryo said, cutting him off, "I was diagnosed with MS several years ago."   
  
"I'm so sorry," Trunks said softly.   
  
"Don't be," said Ryo, "this isn't your fault. But my disabilities aren't the reason why I brought you here today."   
  
Ryo wheeled herself closer to Trunks and took his hands in hers.   
  
"This is going to be hard for you to understand Trunks," she said gently, "but I have something very important to tell you."   
***************************************************   
  
"Boot it Misaki!" Misaki's best friend called from the other end of the soccer field as she watched her friend run up to take a penalty shot.   
  
It was the last class of the day and Misaki's class was playing soccer in PE.   
  
Misaki ran up to the ball and kicked as hard as she could at the goal net.   
  
The ball became a blur as it flew towards the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper screamed and ducked moments before the ball passed over her head. The ball continued to move at breakneck speed and it burned a hole in the net. It continued to flying through the air until it was out of site.   
  
Everyone in the class turned to Misaki with shock.   
  
"Err.....I don't think it's coming back," Misaki managed to say, looking embarrassed.   
  
"Since that was the last ball the school owns," the PE teacher said when she got her speaking capability back, "I have no other choice but to send you all home early. Class dismissed."   
  
Everyone on the PE field walked of the field and headed for the changing rooms.   
  
"Nice going Misaki," Mikiko said as the girls changed out of their PE uniforms and back into their regular uniforms.   
"You got us the afternoon off!"   
  
"Thanks Miki," Misaki said as she tied her shoes up, "but it seems that every time I do PE I manage to destroy the equipment. I heard that a lady on the other side of town found the javelin I threw yesterday in her backyard."   
  
"Hmm, maybe you should stick to your running and gymnastics," Miki said, "now let's go! You promised to show me your new video game this afternoon."   
  
"Oh yea! Let's roll," Misaki agreed, picking up her schoolbag.   
  
"Huh? Bread roll? You hungry Misaki?" Miki asked, confused.   
  
"Never mind," said Misaki and the two girls left.   
***************************************************   
"Why did you never tell me Ryo!" Trunks growled, sounding angry and annoyed. He could feel his ki flaring.   
  
"I didn't want to place that kind of responsibility on you," Ryo said quietly, "and I just couldn't bring myself to tell you."   
  
"As the child's father I had a right to know!" Trunks said, his voice starting to rise, "how could you have kept this from me!"   
  
"That's what I said," Ritsuko muttered.   
  
Trunks was about to continue with his rant when a chirpy voice called from the garden gate, "I'm home!"   
  
All three adults looked up to see two girls walking through the gate. One had shoulder length black hair with black eyes and Trunks nearly fell out of his seat when he saw the other one.   
  
She had long lavender hair, his hair.  
She had blue eyes, his eyes.   
She had a cute face, Ryo's face.   
  
"Oh sorry mum," she said to Ryo as the two girls walked towards them, "I didn't release you had a guest."   
  
"It's ok Misaki," Ryo said, "I would like you to meet someone, this is Trunks Briefs."   
  
"Hi ya," said Misaki with a smile. She then pointed to her friend beside her, "this my friend Mikiko, but you can call her Miki."   
  
"Nice to meet you," Miki said politely.   
  
"Why are you home so early girls?" Ritsuko asked after she looked at her watch.   
  
"Misaki destroyed the last soccer ball the school had so we got sent home early," Miki explained.   
  
"Another one! Misaki that must be the tenth ball you've destroyed this week!" Ritsuko groaned while Ryo looked on with amusement.   
  
"Twelfth," Misaki muttered, looking embarrassed.   
  
"Why do you have to be so rough?" moaned Ritsuko.   
  
"It's not my fault!" protested Misaki, "it just sorta happens. I don't know why."   
  
Trunks knew why, but he wasn't prepared to tell her just yet. There had been enough surprises for one day.   
  
"Come on Miki," Misaki said, breaking the silence, "I'll make you a smoothie in the kitchen." And both girls went indoors.   
  
There was a silence between the adults until the girls were out of earshot. Then Ryo said, "What do you think Trunks?"   
  
"She's amazing," he said in a whisper, "but why have you told me about her now?"   
  
"Trunks I'm going to be straight with you," Ryo said in a serious tone, "I have very little time left. More or less four weeks to be more accurate. And I need you to get to know Misaki."   
  
"What are you talking about?" Trunks said, "you're not that sick."   
  
"Why can't you understand?" Ryo sobbed as the tears started to fall, "I'm not going to get better, I'm going to die." 


	11. Chapter 11

"He was my father?" Misaki gasped in disbelief.   
  
It was later on that night and Ryo had just finished telling her daughter about the cold reality of her illness.   
  
Misaki had cried and pleaded with her mother to tell her that it wasn't true. To tell her that she wasn't going to die, that the doctors were wrong, that she was going to live.   
  
But Ryo could not tell Misaki these things, because they were not true. After she had calmed her daughter down, she had moved onto the next important piece of news.   
  
"Why did you never tell me?" Misaki asked, her blue eyes pleading with her mother.   
  
"Because he didn't know," Ryo said softly, "and I could only tell you when the time was right. I know that it doesn't make much sense to you now, but one day you will understand."   
  
Misaki nodded her head and looked at her mother with her tear stained face.   
  
"There's a good girl," Ryo said stroking her hair, "now go up to bed. You can stay home tomorrow ok?"   
  
Misaki hugged her mother tightly before going upstairs to bed.   
  
"You handled that very well," Ritsuko said from the corner of the lounge room, "I'm proud of you Sis."   
  
"Thank you Ritsuko," Ryo said and the two twins hugged.   
***************************************************   
That same night  
  
"Holy shit dude," Goten said after Trunks finished telling him about his afternoon at Ryo's, "I can't believe she never told you."   
  
"I know," Trunks groaned, "And for the first time in fourteen years I feel like I need a good strong drink."   
  
"Sorry dude," Goten said as he gestured to the kitchen, "my parents don't keep that kind of stuff."   
"Just as well," Trunks muttered.   
  
"So how did your family take it?" Goten asked.   
  
"Mum was shocked, Bra was ecstatic and from what I was able to tell, Dad was pretty annoyed."   
  
"Why's that?" Goten asked, puzzled.   
  
"I think he doesn't like the fact that got Ryo pregnant when I was drunk," Trunks explained.   
  
"Well I just hope he doesn't hold anything against the kid," Goten sighed, "what did you say her name was again?"   
  
"Misaki," Trunks said, "It's Misaki."   
***************************************************   
Misaki didn't drag herself out of bed the next day until three in the afternoon. She had spent most of the day crying, and thinking about her father.   
  
She went downstairs and saw that the house was empty. A note had been left on the table from her aunt saying that she and her mother had gone out and would be back later in the afternoon.   
  
Misaki sighed and got herself something to eat. As she ate she started to think about him. 'How am I meant to talk to him?' she thought, 'what would I say?'   
  
'Oh well, I figure that out when I get there,' Misaki then grabbed the phone and was about to call Miki when she saw something that caught her eye.   
  
On the phone table was a piece of paper with an address written on it. Above the address was the name 'Trunks Briefs.'   
  
Misaki put the phone down and looked at the piece of paper for a while. Then she slipped it in her pocket and walked to the front door. 'No time like the present' she thought and locked the door behind her. 


	12. Chapter 12

Misaki looked up at the huge dome shaped building and back at the address on the piece of paper. 'This is the place' she thought to herself and headed for the front door. On the door was a notice. It read: 'Welcome to Capsule Corp. All work offices are situated at the back of the building. Thank you, have a nice day'.   
  
Misaki took her hand off of the door handle and headed around to the back of the building.   
  
She went in through the back entrance and walked up to the front desk where a lady with peroxide blond hair and blood red nails was sitting, trying her best to look busy.   
  
"Excuse me," Misaki said to the lady, "could I please see Trunks Briefs?"   
  
"Do you have an appointment?" the lady asked in a bored tone.   
  
"Err, no," Misaki admitted, looking embarrassed.   
  
"Take a seat," the woman said rolling her eyes and picked up the phone.   
  
Misaki sat in a vinyl seat on the other side of the room and sighed. 'What am I doing? I shouldn't be here' she thought to herself.   
  
However a loud roar though cut off Misaki's train of thought.   
  
Misaki looked up in time to see a small black cat run past her at top speed. It was quickly followed by a short man with spiky black hair and a young woman with shoulder length blue hair.   
  
"That cat has attacked me for the last time!" the man roared and raised his right arm that was covered in scratch marks at the running cat.   
  
"Daddy no!" the girl screamed as a ball of yellow light shot out of the man's hand.   
  
However, since the girl had distracted him, the ball of light aimed at the cat was knocked off course and was hurtling towards Misaki.   
  
Almost as if by instinct, Misaki raised her left arm and just as the ball of light was inches away from her face, she hit it with her fist.   
  
The yellow ball was knocked off course and hit the wall on the opposite side of the room, where it exploded.   
  
Misaki lowered her hand and looked over to where there had once been a wall. She then turned her attention to the two people standing in the room. (The secretary had taken refuge under her desk.)   
  
The young woman was staring at her with a look of disbelief, but the man was glaring at Misaki as if she had just told him that she was going to remove six of his teeth.   
  
Suddenly a familiar looking person entered the room.  
  
"Bra, Dad," Trunks said, "what's going on?"   
  
"Dad lost him temper at Kitty again," the woman said, "and this girl here blocked his attack."   
  
The man just continued to glare at Misaki.   
  
It was then that Trunks spotted Misaki sitting in the corer of the room, looked pretty shocked.   
  
"Oh," he said, "Jan didn't say it was you."   
  
"Trunks you know this girl?" Bra asked her brother.   
  
"Bra, Dad," Trunks said cautiously, "this is Misaki."   
  
Trunks' father then looked a whole lot meaner.   
  
Bra was silent for a moment as she looked back at Misaki before screaming, " Oh my God! She's so cute!"   
Bra lunged herself at a startled Misaki and grabbed her in a bear hug, lifting her out of her seat.   
  
Misaki, who had had enough weirdness for one day, broke free and muttered something about having to be home before running out the door.   
  
"Misaki wait!" Trunks yelled after her and ran out the door.   
But by the time he got there he just caught a glimpse of Misaki at the end of the street before disappearing completely.   
  
Trunks rested his hand on his forehead before groaning. She was probably terrified of him now. Ten minutes after she had walked thorough the door, she had been attacked by Vegeta and smothered by Bra. He didn't blame her for being scared. 


	13. Chapter 13

"You're joking!" Miki yelled as she spat out her sandwich at lunchtime, "he was your Dad?"   
  
"Do I look like I'm on the verge of girlish laughter?" Misaki said dully as she poked at her lunch.   
  
Misaki had returned to the school the day after the event at her father's place and had finished telling Miki about what her mother running out of time and the identity of Trunks Briefs.   
  
"I guess not,' muttered Miki, "but now I kinda see the resemblance between the two of you."   
  
"Ehh? What do you mean Miki?" Misaki asked, confused.   
  
"Well, think about it," Miki said, turning to face Misaki in the cafeteria seat, "you both have lavender hair. That hair colour isn't a common sight these days, and you both have the same eyes."   
  
"I guess," Misaki admitted. But to tell the truth, she had never really thought about it.   
  
"Mum I'm home!" Misaki called up the stairs, expecting her mother's chirpy reply.   
  
But it didn't come.   
  
"Mum?" Misaki called again. Suddenly sense of dread had formed in the pit of her stomach.   
  
Misaki left her school bag and raced upstairs. She checked each and every room without success.   
  
Now getting very concerned, Misaki ran back downstairs. And looked at all the rooms there.   
  
When she entered the living room, fear almost tore her heart to pieces. Lying on the floor next to her wheelchair, was Ryo. Eyes closed and not moving.   
***************************************************  
Misaki jumped out of the back of the ambulance as it arrived at the hospital and ran after the paramedics as they raced her mother down the hospital corridors and into an operating theatre.  
  
Misaki was about to go in after them but was cut off by a nurse in front of the door.   
  
"Sorry dear," the nurse said, "I'm afraid you can't go in there while the doctors are looking at the patient."   
"But that's my mum," Misaki pleaded.   
"Sorry," the nurse repeated, this time more sternly, "but no visitors allowed. Now be a good girl and take a seat in the waiting room."   
  
Misaki had no choice but to obey and headed back to the waiting room. But before she sat down she remembered something. 'Ritsuko!' she suddenly thought and headed to the pay phone.   
  
She picked up the receiver and dialed Ritsuko's mobile phone number since she would be working late that night.   
But much to Misaki's despair, her phone was switched off.   
  
After leaving a message on the mobile, Misaki dialed her home phone number. The phone continued to ring until the answering machine kicked in. Leaving a message there too in case Ritsuko didn't check her phone, Misaki replaced the receiver and took a seat in the waiting room.   
  
The waiting room was considerably empty with only a few sick people staring at the TV set. Slowly Misaki started to doze off.  
  
She didn't realize how late it was getting until the nurse who had stopped her from going with her mother shook her out of her doze and started to talk to her.   
  
"It's getting pretty late hun," the nurse said kindly, "and it doesn't look like the doctors wont be finished with your mum for a while. Don't you think that you should get somebody to take you home?"   
  
"Ok," Misaki said, slowly waking up, "I'll go call someone."   
  
Misaki walked back over to the pay phone and tried to call her aunt again. Again, there was no response on either her mobile or the home phone.   
  
Misaki hung up and sighed. She was in trouble. Miki had gone away with her family for the weekend and Ritsuko wasn't answering her phone. That meant no one could come and pick her up.   
  
Assuming that she was going to have to stay at the hospital overnight, Misaki dug in her pockets to see if she had enough money left for the snack machine down the hall.   
  
She pulled her hand back out and produced some more money and a piece of paper. Frowning, she unfolded it and looked to see what it was.   
  
It was her father's phone number and address that she had taken from the phone table yesterday. Then a thought ran across Misaki's mind.   
  
'It's better than being here all night,' she reasoned with herself and put some more coins in the phone and dialed the number.   
  
With her heart in her throat, Misaki waited nervously as the phone rang. The phone rang a few more times before a man's voice answered.   
  
"Hello Trunks speaking," he said.   
  
Misaki was so nervous for a minute that she couldn't speak. She then managed to pull herself together.   
"Hi it's Misaki," she managed to say shakily.   
  
"Oh hi!" Trunks said, sounding surprised, "listen I'm so sorry about yesterday..." and he started to launch into a huge apology.   
  
"Err sorry Dad," she said, a little surprised by hearing herself say 'dad', "but I need you to come and pick me up from the hospital."   
  
"The hospital? What's wrong?" he asked, sounding concerned.   
  
"I don't know. The doctors are still with Mum and I'm not allowed to see her. And since I can't get through to Ritsuko, I had to call you. Sorry." Misaki explained.   
  
"Don't worry Misaki," he father said, "I'll be over soon."   
They ended their conversation and Misaki went back to the waiting room.   
  
She started to watch the TV but soon she became so tired that she laid down on the empty row of seats and went to sleep.   
***************************************************  
  
Trunks pushed open the glass doors of the hospital and walked over to the waiting room. When he got there he looked around for Misaki without success.   
  
He saw some elderly people in one corner and a young woman with a small child in another, but he couldn't see his kid anywhere.   
  
Suddenly a tuff of lavender hair sticking up over the end of a row of chairs caught his eye.   
  
He casually walked over and looked down over the seats.   
There lay Misaki, curled up in a ball, fast asleep.   
  
Trunks smiled at how cute she looked when she was asleep before he picked her up. He did it slowly and carefully in order not to wake her up.   
  
Misaki snuggled into his chest and continued to sleep. Trunks carried her out to his car and placed her on the backseat before driving home. 


	14. Chapter 14

tMisaki awoke the next morning a room that she didn't recognize. She sat up and rubbed her eyes and tried to remember the events of last night. Suddenly she remembered the phone call that she had made to her father last night at the hospital.   
  
'This must be his house,' she thought to herself as she looked around the room. Then she remembered something very important.   
  
"Mum!" she said in alarm and hopped off the bed, grabbed her shoes off the floor and ran out of the room.   
  
As she ran she tried to put her shoes on without stopping. As she hopped along she twisted around in the effort of trying to tie up her left shoelace. She didn't notice the edge off the staircase.   
  
With a frightened yelp she fell over backwards and tumbled down the stairs. She landed at the bottom of the staircase flat on her back with a thud.   
  
"Well that was spectacular," a taunting voice said.   
  
Misaki got to her feet and looked up to the short man who had been glaring at her the other day when she had paid Trunks a visit.   
  
"I'm fine by the way," she sneered at him and slipped on her right shoe.   
  
"Oh course you're fine," he said to her as if she was an idiot, "you're a saiyan."   
  
"A what?" Misaki asked, looking at him with a confused look   
  
"You mean your father hasn't explained about your breeding yet?" he said sounding annoyed.   
  
"Hey what am I, a racing horse?" she snapped angrily.   
  
"No," he said smugly, "racehorses are breed on purpose."   
  
"Back off!" Misaki yelled, "who the hell do you thing you are?"   
  
"Your grandfather unfortunately," he said with amusement at her outburst.   
  
Misaki was shocked at first but then she said, "Well I'm sure glad your character traits have managed to skip a generation."   
  
Vegeta just laughed. "Actually brat, your more like me than you know. I'm the very reason that you have saiyan blood running through your veins," he said and poked her in the chest.   
  
"No!" Misaki yelled battering his hand aside, "I'm not like you!"   
  
"Deny it all you want kid," he laughed, "but you and I are family and you have the blood of a legendary warrior race in you."   
  
"What the hell are you on about!" Misaki yelled, her temper flaring.   
  
"The saiyans are a warrior race from outer space. I am a saiyan, your father is half saiyan, and you brat, are quarter saiyan."   
  
"Get away from me!" Misaki screamed and aimed a punch at his face.   
  
Vegeta caught her fist in his hand and with a wicked grin started to squeeze. Misaki felt as if her whole hand was going to break and she gritted her teeth together in pain.   
  
She saw the look of satisfaction that was on his face and her anger exploded inside her head and a yellow light started to glow around her.   
  
Vegeta wasn't the least bit surprised by this, and Misaki broke her fist out of Vegeta's grip.   
  
She looked down at herself and was confused by the glow.   
  
"Not bad brat," Vegeta said crossing his arms, "considering you have no idea how to fight."   
  
Misaki then stopped glowing and fell to her knees. It seemed that all her energy had been taken out by that glow.   
  
"What's going on?" someone said from the door.   
  
Misaki looked up and saw a woman with aqua hair standing in the doorway.   
  
"Vegeta what have you been doing to her?" she demanded.   
  
"That is not your concern woman," he snapped.   
  
"Hey don't talk to her like that," Misaki snapped getting to her feet.   
  
"Shut up brat. You should be showing me some respect. Every heard of that?" Vegeta spat.   
  
"Sorry Vegeta," Misaki snarled, "but respect from me has to be earned."   
  
His black eyes connected with her blue ones and they stared each other down.   
  
Misaki never saw it coming. One minute she was giving him a look of loathing and the next she was on the ground gasping due to a punch that he had landed in her stomach.   
  
"Vegeta!" the woman screamed and ran over to Misaki.   
  
Misaki started to glow with yellow light again and tried to get back up again. She wanted to teach that jerk a lesson. But the woman stopped her.   
  
"Don't Misaki!" she said desperately, placing her hand on Misaki's arm, "there is no way you can beat him!"   
  
Misaki looked at her pleading blue eyes and then back at Vegeta's cold black ones, and as much as she hated to admit it, the woman was right.   
  
Vegeta would pulverize her. Slowly and angrily, Misaki stopped glowing and stopped her attempt at getting back up off the bottom of the staircase.   
  
Vegeta smirked and walked off. "You got spirit kid," he called, "but that can be easily broken."   
  
"Are you ok?" the woman asked, helping Misaki up.   
  
"Yes thanks ma'am," Misaki said as she dusted herself off.   
  
"Call me Bulma," she said, "Grandma makes me feel old."   
  
Misaki took a step back. "You're Dad's mum?" she asked, "but you look so young."   
  
"Thank you dear," Bulma said with a smile, "I've gotten more praise out of you just now then I ever have out of Vegeta."   
  
"What do you see in that jerk?" Misaki asked in wonder.   
  
"Oh people just don't understand him the way I do," Bulma said.   
  
"Are you a psychiatrist or something?" Misaki asked.   
  
Bulma laughed and took Misaki by the hand, "come on, she said your father is waiting for us in the kitchen."   
  
And the two left together. 


	15. Chapter 15

"Ritsuko!" Misaki yelled and ran over to her aunt. She and Trunks had returned to the hospital after a quick breakfast in the hope of good news on Ryo.  
  
The tall woman knelt down and hugged her niece.  
  
"Oh Misaki I'm so sorry, I didn't get your message until after Trunks called me late last night when he told me that he had picked you up. I'm sorry," she cried.  
  
The two broke apart and Misaki looked at Ritsuko's face.  
  
She had been crying.  
  
"What's wrong?" Misaki asked, looking worried.  
  
"The doctors have seen your Mum," Ritsuko said softly, "the news isn't good dear."  
  
***************************************************  
  
"What do you mean only a few more hours?" Misaki demanded at the doctor, "you said to her the other day that she had four weeks."  
  
Everyone had now gathered in Ryo's hospital room and listened to the doctor's diagnosis.  
  
"It seems that our calculations where wrong," the doctor said simply.  
  
"Damn right they were wrong!" Misaki screamed, "next you'll be replacing peoples hearts with their livers because you can't tell the difference!"  
  
"Things like this happen all the time," the doctor said with a shrug.  
  
Misaki lunged at him but Trunks grabbed her with both arms and held her back.  
  
The doctor watched the struggling girl in the man's arms for a few moments before her left.  
  
"Don't you worry about him Misaki," Trunks said, "he's just a mean little S.O.B."  
  
"It'll be all right Misaki," Ryo said softly from her bed.  
  
Trunks put Misaki down and they all looked over to Ryo.  
  
She was hooked up at a life support system and a morphine drip. She looked very pale and weak, but despite that, she was wearing a small smile.  
  
"Trunks, Misaki, could you please wait outside? I need to speak to Ritsuko." Ryo said softly.  
  
Trunks and Misaki were hesitant for a minute before they left the room closing the door behind them.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Trunks and Misaki waited outside Ryo's room in silence.  
  
Trunks was sitting on a bench while Misaki stood, leaning against the wall. Finally Misaki broke the silence.  
  
"Vegeta told me this morning that we were saiyans," she said quietly, "is that true?"  
  
Trunks looked at her expressionless face for a moment before he nodded. "Yes, it's true. That's why you do so much damage in PE classes."  
  
Misaki didn't reply and looked at the black and white tiled floor until a red eyed Ritsuko came out.  
  
"She wants to see you Trunks," she said, trying to hold back tears.  
  
Trunks got up and went into Ryo's room and Ritsuko sat down on the bench, with Misaki doing her best to comfort her.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Trunks entered the dark room and closed the door behind him. He grabbed a chair that was next to the door and walked over to the bed with it. He placed it gently on the floor and sat on it.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I'm dying Trunks," Ryo said with a smile.  
  
The two were silent for a short while before Ryo whispered, "I'm sorry Trunks,"  
  
"Sorry for what?" he asked, confused.  
  
"I'm sorry for what happened that night thirteen years ago, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that I was pregnant when I was and I'm so sorry for keeping Misaki from you all these years. If I had listened to Ritsuko back then, I wouldn't have to be apologizing to you now. I should have told you everything back then but I didn't, because I'm a bloody coward." Ryo said with a sad look on her face.  
  
Trunks took a minute to take this whole speech in before he spoke again. "You're not a coward Ryo," he said, taking her shaking hand, "in fact, I think you're the bravest person I've ever known."  
  
Ryo weakly gripped his hand back. "Thank you Trunks, promise me that you will take good care of Misaki. She needs you."  
  
"I'll protect her with my life, that I promise you Ryo," he said solemnly.  
  
***************************************************  
  
"Mum don't go," Misaki pleaded.  
  
"I'm so sorry honey," Ryo said, "but I don't have a choice."  
  
"I need you," whispered Misaki.  
  
Ritsuko let out a small whimper from the other side of the room and Trunks placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You'll be ok," Ryo said soothingly, "you have your Dad and Ritsuko. Dying is just another part of life."  
  
Misaki nodded her head and let the tears that she had been holding back roll freely down her face.  
  
"Now I want you to listen to me carefully Misaki," Ryo said, "you are a quite possibly the best child that God ever put on this earth and you can be whatever you want. And don't you ever let a door slam in your face. No one has the right to shut you out."  
  
Ryo then put her hand on Misaki's face. "I love you Mum," she said softly.  
  
"I love you too dear," Ryo said and she closed her eyes and put her head back on her pillows.  
  
The life support system stopped beeping and a green line appeared on it.  
  
Ryo's hand fell from Misaki's cheek and fell onto the bed limply.  
  
Misaki looked at her mother with a look of grief before putting her head down on the bed sheets and cried.  
  
"Bye Sis," Ritsuko whispered before she started to cry on Trunks' shoulder.  
  
Trunks hugged her and he too realized he was crying. 


	16. Chapter 16

Misaki sat in the corner of the room while she watched the wake take place. The wake was being held at Capsule Corp and the whole room was an ocean of black.   
  
Her mother's old friends where there but Misaki had hardly met half of them. Her aunt Ritsuko was sitting in one corner listening to people's sympathy speeches while her Dad and his family where trying their best to look busy. This last statement excluded Vegeta who had locked himself away in the gravity room to train. And for this, Misaki was glad. She didn't need his crap right now.   
  
Suddenly she spotted someone who wasn't wearing black coming towards her in the crowd.   
  
It was Miki and she was looking very embarrassed by the way people where looking at her jeans and T-shirt with disgust.   
  
"Hey Misaki-chan," she said softly.   
  
"Hi Miki," Misaki said equally soft, "what brings you here?"   
  
"I just came to see how you where, sorry I can't stay long, I left Granny on her own. If I don't get back soon she'll be likely to burn down something," Miki explained, a little embarrassed.   
  
"Thanks Miki, you're a true friend." Misaki said solemnly.   
  
Misaki handed her bouquet of flowers that she had been carrying.   
  
"I thought they might cheer you up a tad," Miki said.   
  
"Thank you Miki they're beautiful," Misaki said.   
  
"Hang tough," Miki said and got ready to leave.   
  
"Guess I'll see ya when I see ya," Misaki said.   
  
"Yea," Miki said and after giving her friend a hug she left.   
  
Misaki walked over to the kitchen and filled a jug with water to put the flowers in when he heard some hushed voices talking by the kitchen door.   
  
"Kid must be taking this hard."   
  
"Apparently Ryo left her to Trunks."  
  
"Odd, I thought Ritsuko would have wanted her."   
  
"She does but she respects Ryo's wishes more."   
  
"Well he is Misaki's father. It makes sense for him to take her."   
  
Misaki couldn't take all these hushed voices anymore. She dumped the flowers in the water jug and ran out of the kitchen into the sea of mourners.  
  
Some looked at her and tried to talk to her but she pushed past them and tried to find a way out. But she couldn't see any doors or passageways that lead out. She had to get away, to hide from their mournful eyes. Misaki then spotted the refreshments table on the other side of the room. Nobody seemed to be standing around it. Pushing her way through the crowd she made her way over to in and crawled underneath it. The white table cloth hiding her.   
***************************************************  
Goten straightened his black tie in discomfort. He didn't like wakes and events of these sorts but he wasn't going to bail on his best friend and Ritsuko.   
  
Deciding that he wasn't going to be able to speak to Trunks anytime soon he made his way over to the refreshments table to see what comfort some food would bring.   
  
When he got there he selected a piece of coffee scroll. Before he could taste he was bumped from behind and the cake fell from his hand.   
  
With a grunt of annoyance he knelt down to pick it up. As he did he spotted something underneath the tablecloth. As he looked closer he saw that it was a pair of black buckle up shoes that girls wore.   
  
He lifted up the tablecloth and saw a girl wearing a black dress sitting underneath, with a sad expression on her face. The resemblance between her and Trunks was unmistakable.   
  
Forgetting about his snack he crawled underneath the table to join her.   
  
"Hey," he said softly, "you must be Misaki."   
  
Misaki nodded but didn't look at him.   
  
"I'm Goten, a friend of your Dad's," he said.   
  
"Did you know my Mum?" she asked quietly.   
  
"Briefly when we were in college," Goten said, "from what I remember she helped me out with my computer and called your Dad a turkey."   
  
Misaki giggled. Her Mum had always called people names like that when they annoyed her. But the sudden memory turned Misaki's giggles to sobs.   
  
'Way to go Goten' Goten thought to himself. He reached over and hugged Misaki as she cried. She buried her face in his chest and cried for ages.   
***************************************************  
Trunks and Ritsuko waved the last guest off and walked back to the house. Trunks loosened his tie and looked over at Ritsuko. He was unable to detect what she was feeling by her face.   
  
"You ok?" he asked.   
  
"No," she said as she walked through the door, "and I'm not gonna be for a long time Trunks."   
  
The two sat down in the living room in the large armchairs and poured themselves a coffee each.   
  
"When do you leave town for the new job?" he asked.   
  
"Three days," replied Ritsuko, "I had second thoughts about going but Ryo told me to go that day in the hospital. She said to me 'You gotta go where the action is Sis' and I intend to. I just hope Misaki will be Ok."   
  
The two looked at each other and leapt to their feet.   
"Misaki!" they cried in unison and raced out of the living room.   
  
"I haven't seen her all day!" groaned Trunks, "I saw Miki before but that was it."   
  
As he passed the refreshment table he saw someone's foot sticking out. A little alarmed he knelt down with caution and lifted up the tablecloth.   
  
There he saw Goten cradling Misaki in his arms.   
"Hey Goten," Trunks said with a strange look on his face, "what are you doing under the table?"   
  
"This is where I found her and I just kept her company for about five hours," he said sheepishly and Misaki crawled off of him and got out from under the table.   
  
"You ok?" Ritsuko asked her.   
  
Misaki nodded, "Thanks Goten," she said and went off to her room.   
  
Goten crawled out from underneath the table and stretched.   
"Sure is cramped under there," he said sheepishly.   
  
Ritsuko smiled for the first time in days and Trunks grinned.   
  
"I'd better get home," Goten said, "and you take care of that kid of yours Trunks."   
  
"I will, see ya round dude," Trunks said.   
  
"I gotta go finish some packing," said Ritsuko and she walked out to her car and drove off.   
Once her car was out of sight Goten flew off and with a wave to Trunks he was soon out of sight too. 


	17. Chapter 17

Trunks, Misaki and Ritsuko waited at the train platform waiting for Ritsuko's train to depart.   
  
"Please take good care of Misaki," Ritsuko said to Trunks as the porter loaded the last of her bags onto the storage compartment of the train.   
  
"You have my word Ritsuko," Trunks said solemnly.   
  
Ritsuko nodded and turned her attention to Misaki, who had a sad look on her face.   
  
"I'm sorry Ritsuko," Misaki apologized, "I promised myself that I would send you off with a smile."   
  
"Don't worry about it kiddo," Ritsuko said with a small smile, "I know that good-byes can be hard."   
  
Suddenly an announcement came over the loud speaker.   
"Could all passengers on train257 please board now. The train will be departing in three minutes."   
  
Ritsuko looked up at the speaker and then back to Misaki.   
"That's my que," Ritsuko said and gave Misaki a quick hug.   
"Ok I'll send $60 to your account each month so you and Miki can have some fun. Please be good for your father and try to fall down the stairs a little less often. Now how about sending me off with that smile?"   
  
Misaki nodded and with a quick smile to her and Trunks she boarded the train. A few seconds later the doors closed and the train started to move. As it moved Misaki jogged along side it and waved and smiled until she reached the end of the platform.   
  
Misaki then stopped waving and her grin turned to a look of despair. Now she felt completely alone.   
***************************************************  
The next morning Misaki sat alone at the breakfast table staring off into space. Everyone had either gone out or had found something else to do with their time, her father included.   
  
Misaki didn't have any plans for the day, or for the rest of the week to be accurate. She felt that nothing really mattered anymore. She hadn't even bothered to do her hair that she usually wore in a ponytail or a long braid. It was just let loose like a long lavender vine.   
  
She then noticed that someone else had entered the room.   
It was Vegeta making his usual morning migration from the gravity room to the kitchen. Not taking the least bit of notice of her he grabbed two piece of bread and put them in the toaster.   
  
Misaki wanted answers for the way she was feeling and she wanted them given to her straight. And there was only person she knew who would be able to do that.   
  
"There is a terrible pain inside me that I cannot describe in words," she said to Vegeta without looking at him, "will I always feel like this?"   
  
"No," said Vegeta simply, "it'll pass."   
  
"Will I always feel this way when someone I love goes?" she asked.   
  
"Afraid so," Vegeta said and took his toast out of the toaster.   
  
Misaki looked up at him and their eyes meet.   
"It wont do," she said and grabbing her coat off of the hook by the door, she left the house and heading into the rain. 


	18. Chapter 18

Misaki was lost in her own world of thought as the bus continued on its journey.   
  
After she had left the house that morning she had walked until she got to the bus station. Not caring where she'd be going, she had bought a ticket and had got on a random bus.   
  
She had now been traveling on the rusty old piece of junk for about three hours. Suddenly the bus came to a halt.   
  
Misaki snapped out of her daydream and looked up. She was now the only person apart from the bus driver who was still on the bus.   
  
"Everyone off," the bus driver said gruffly, "final stop."   
  
Misaki jumped out of her seat and stepped off the bus. She then realized how cold it was and hugged her coat to her chest while looking around at her surroundings.   
  
The city landscape had completely disappeared from view and all she could see was mountain area with a wreaked bus shelter.   
'Way to go Misaki,' she thought to herself, 'you are now completely lost.'   
  
Misaki then felt something cold land on her face. She wiped it off with her hand and saw that it was a snowflake that was slowly melting in her hand.   
  
"Snow?" she said in a baffled tone to herself, "it's way to early in the year for snow."   
  
"It always snows in the mountains in cold weather," a voice said, "regardless of the season."   
  
Misaki looked around and saw an elderly woman sitting in the bus shelter bundled up in blankets. Misaki wondered how she hadn't noticed her before.   
  
"What are you doing all the way out here dear?" the woman said kindly, "Why are you alone?"   
  
Misaki felt as if her guts had just turned to ice.   
  
The woman had just described exactly how she felt, alone.   
Completely alone.   
  
Misaki jumped off the side of the road and into the woods, without the slightest clue on where she was going. She just ran.   
***************************************************  
Around midday Trunks left his office and made his way to Misaki's room. He wanted to check on her and to talk to her.   
  
When he got there he came to a halt at the closed door. He knocked twice and called, "Misaki, it's me. Can I come in?"   
  
No answer came.   
  
"How much longer are you going to avoid school for?" he called.   
  
Still no answer came.   
  
Deciding he wasn't going to get an answer out of her this way he turned the door handle and walked in.   
  
She wasn't in there.   
  
Her suitcases where still on the floor and the bed was unmade, but other than that, the room looked untouched.   
  
"I thought so," Trunks said with a sigh and walked out the room and headed for the front door, hoping Misaki hadn't gotten far.   
*************************************************   
Misaki had no idea how long she had been running, or how far from the main road she was, she was too preoccupied with what she was doing to care.   
  
She was a fast runner, and was constantly breaking school and regional records in her track meets.   
  
But this time she wasn't running for competition, she was trying to run ran away from the emptiness that she felt inside her, and the loneliness she felt.   
A tree root sticking up out of the soil tripped her up and she fell face first in the snow. She didn't bother to get back up again. Instead she let the tears that she had been holding back for days fall freely. "Why her?" she sobbed, "she never did anything wrong. Why did she leave me?"   
  
Her tears of anguish then turned into tears of rage and the yellow light surrounded her body. All the anger, pain, sorrow, rage and loneliness was unleashed in one great flash of light as she yelled.   
  
Two nearby mountains that were part of the beautiful forest surrounding crumbled to the ground and all the trees and undergrowth with in a five mile radius had been completely obliterated.   
  
Completely exhausted by the outbreak of her energy Misaki closed her eyes and slept.   
*************************************************   
"What was that?" Goku said as he put his empty lunch bowl down on the table. He had just sensed a huge power go up and back down again somewhere not too far away.   
  
"I know, I felt it too," Gohan said standing up, "what do you think it is?"   
  
"Ehh?" asked Goten, as he looked back and forth to his brother and father, "what are you two on about?"   
  
"Didn't you feel that huge power source a second ago?" asked Gohan.   
  
"Nup," replied Goten.   
  
"All the same," said Goku, "I think we'd better check it out."   
***************************************************   
"And the Prince and Princess danced all night long while the Silver Snow fell," read Ryo and closed the fairytale book shut.   
  
"Read it again mama," four-year-old Misaki begged her mother as she sat in bed.   
  
"But I've read it four times already," laughed Ryo.   
  
"But it's my favourite," begged Misaki.   
  
"I know," Ryo said and leaded forward in her chair to tuck the bed sheets in, "and that's why we're saving it for tomorrow night."   
  
"Oh alright," sighed Misaki, she knew there was no point arguing.   
  
"Mama can I ask you something?" she said suddenly.   
  
"Of course dear," Ryo said with a smile.   
  
"What's Silver Snow? I've only seen white snow, not silver. So what is it?" she asked.   
  
"Silver Snow is a special type of snow that falls only at very special times for very special people," Ryo said.   
  
"Have you ever seen it mama?" Misaki asked excitedly.   
  
"Once," said Ryo softly, "a very long time ago."   
  
"When will it happen again? I wanna see it!" asked Misaki excitedly.   
  
"It will rain Silver Snow at exactly the right moment and at exactly the right place," whispered Ryo and the room started to fade away until Misaki was standing alone in her dream, at her current age, surrounded by falling snow.   
  
Misaki opened her hand and allowed a handful of snow to gather there. She looked closely at it and saw that it was plain white snow, nothing more, and nothing less.   
  
She dumped the snow out of her hand and spotted someone standing further away.   
  
It was her mother. And she was standing. Never in Misaki's life had she ever seen Ryo stand on her own two legs.   
"Mum!" she screamed and started to run towards her mother. But the more she ran, the further away Ryo got. "Come back!" Misaki screamed.   
  
But Ryo didn't respond and she continued to fade away.   
  
Misaki fell to her knees and held her hands in her head. Again, her mother had gone. And again, she couldn't stop it.   
  
"Geez the kid sure did some damage," a male voice said.   
  
Misaki looked around her as the snow fell but she saw nothing and no one.   
  
"Yea," said another, "but the power was used poorly. If she'd of known how to use her energy properly, she'd of done worse damage."   
  
"Well she didn't know that she could do things like this until about two weeks ago," a third said.   
  
Misaki slowly opened her eyes and saw three blurry figures above her.   
  
"Hey squirt," one of the figures said and she saw him lean forward, "you ok?"   
  
"Mum's gone," she croaked weakly.   
  
"Yea," a soft yet familiar voice said, "she's gone."   
  
The figures then began to fade out as her eyes started to close again. "Don't go," she whispered, "I don't want to be alone anymore."   
***************************************************   
"Asleep in the snow?" Trunks said as her picked his sleeping daughter off of Goten's couch, "for how long?"   
  
"Dunno," said Goten, "I don't think for very long. She should be ok though."   
  
"Yea thanks for finding her man. If you and your Dad hadn't found her when you did..." Trunks shivered as he thought of what might of happened.   
  
"Hey don't thank me," Goten said, "it was Dad and Gohan who sensed her energy, not me."   
  
"Well tell them I say thanks when they get back from training ok?" replied Trunks.   
  
"Yep," said Goten s he opened the door for his friend, "see ya later man.   
  
"Yea see ya." 


	19. Chapter 19

Two weeks had now passed since the incident in the mountains. Misaki had come off with a head cold but nothing worse than that. Her father hadn't said anything about the incident, and for that Misaki was glad.   
  
Her only problem at the moment was Vegeta. When he found out about the massive energy attack that she had used that day, he decided that he would see it for himself and had been trying to push Misaki into a fight.   
  
'Ok Ikari," she thought to herself, 'today you can either stay here and hide from Vegeta who is still looking for a punch on, or you can go to school.'   
  
It wasn't a hard decision to make.   
  
Misaki grabbed her blue and white school uniform and got dressed. She grabbed her school bag and books out of the wardrobe and looked at the clock.   
  
She had ten minutes to get to school. With an annoyed yell she ran out of her room and for the staircase. But today, instead of running down in and falling on her behind at the bottom, She jumped over the side banister.   
  
She sailed to the bottom and landed in a well timed crouching position in front of Bra.   
  
"Later," Misaki called to her and ran for the kitchen where her father was eating breakfast.   
  
She ran over to him at the table and took the piece of toast off of his plate and started to eat it. Trunks looked up at her through his reading glasses and was surprised to see her in her uniform.   
  
"Did you want this?" she asked holding up the half eaten piece of toast.   
But before he could reply she was running out the door with the toast in her mouth. "Thanks!" she called and ran in the direction of her school.   
***************************************************   
"Misaki!" Miki screamed when she saw he friend run through the school gates.   
  
Misaki stopped and looked back over her shoulder to see Miki smiling and waving at her.   
  
"Hey," she called back and Miki ran over to her. Miki jumped up and Misaki caught her in a friendly hug.   
  
"Nice to have you back," Miki said.   
  
"Nice to be back," Misaki replied.   
***************************************************  
Despite the fact that Misaki had been away from school or over a month now, she had found little had changed. PE was still fun, Maths was still easy and English was still horrific.   
  
At lunch Misaki and her trainer (a.k.a Miki) were working hard on the running track. Basically Misaki practised her sprints and Miki timed her.   
  
Both Miki's father and older brothers had been runners themselves so Miki knew what was a good time and what wasn't.   
  
"15 seconds!" Miki called as Misaki finished the hundred meters track.   
  
"Hmmm, seems I'm a bit out of shape,' said Misaki with a frown.   
***************************************************  
"So how much homework did you get?" asked Trunks as Misaki threw herself on the couch that afternoon when she returned home.   
  
"Let's just say that you would be doing the right thing by killing me," Misaki groaned.   
  
"I can comply with that," said Vegeta and powered up.   
  
Misaki just ran.   
*************************************************   
The weeks rolled by and soon Misaki got back into the swing of things at school and her training. Miki would meet her every Friday afternoon after school to time her.   
  
One weekend Misaki found herself completely bored. Miki was babysitting her younger sister, Trunks was sitting in a meeting despite him protests about working on a weekend and Bra had her airhead friends around for a modern day tea party.   
  
Bulma had gone shopping and there were no prizes guessing what Vegeta was doing.   
  
Just then a familiar face walked into the kitchen where Misaki was sitting.   
  
"Hey squirt," Goten said cheerfully, "your Dad around?"   
  
"In a meeting and Bra is with her friends, wanna join em?" Misaki said with a smile.   
  
Goten's smile turned to a look of horror as he thought about sitting in the living room with Bra's little club.   
  
"I'm outta here," he said and headed for the door.   
  
"Not without me your not," Misaki said and followed him.   
"You wanna go do something?" Goten asked as they walked across the front lawn.   
  
"Sure what?" asked Misaki.   
  
Goten stopped and a thoughtful look crossed his face.   
"Hey," he said looking down at her, "has your Dad taught you to fly yet?" 


	20. Chapter 20

"Ok flying itself is easy, but in order for you to fly you have to know how to use your energy,' Goten explained to Misaki.   
  
Half an hour had passed since they had left Capsule Corp and the two of them where at Goten's place, a fair way from the house.   
  
"Knew there would be a catch somewhere," Misaki said in dismay.   
  
"Don't sweat it, I'm sure you'll get it in no time,' said Goten hopefully, "I'll just show you how to bring your energy out."   
  
He brought his hands close together and very slowly formed a small, yellow ball of energy in his hands.   
  
Misaki went and stood closer to him to get a better look. She was completely memorised by the energy ball.   
  
The ball then disappeared and Goten turned to Misaki.   
"Ok,' he said, "your turn."   
  
Misaki nodded brought her hands close together, trying to make the energy come out.   
  
"Relax your muscles," Goten said wisely and Misaki obeyed.   
  
And slowly, slowly, the energy gathered in her hands and the light from it illuminated her face.   
  
"Very good!" Goten said beaming, "now onto phase two."   
*************************************************   
"Err, I'm not sure that I like this Goten," Misaki said as she floated around in the air beside him, a little awkwardly.   
  
"Don't worry, you're just not used to it yet," Goten assured her, "soon you'll get the hang of it and you'll love it. Maybe you could ask your Dad or Vegeta to help you work on the harder moves."   
  
"Vegeta!" Misaki shrieked in disbelieve at what Goten had just suggested and fell to the ground like a ton of bricks.   
  
Goten caught her and placed her back on the ground.   
"Hey what's up?" he asked, concerned.   
  
Misaki sighed and described to him the type of relationship that she and Vegeta had to Goten. Vegeta seemed to use any reason he could to push her into a fight and just the other day he had locked her in the gravity room just to see how long she would last at 110 times gravity.   
  
"Vegeta has been acting pretty low, even for him," Goten said when she had finished her story, "has Trunks taught you how to fight yet?"   
  
"Nah, he's been to busy," Misaki said softly.   
  
"Well I guess then it's up to me," Goten said, "other wise you'd be a sitting duck."   
  
"You mean it?" Misaki asked excitedly.   
  
"Sure kiddo," Goten said, "now let's get back to work."   
  
And the teacher and student took to the air once more. 


	21. Chapter 21

"Get in closer and attack!" Goten ordered as he and Misaki sparred early one Saturday near a waterfall on his property.   
  
He kicked at the side of her face and she blocked it with her forearm. He avoided a punch that she directed at his face and she did a spin kick. Her long lavender ponytail smacked her in the face as she spun and her attack missed.   
  
"Whoa hold it," Goten said and Misaki stopped her attacks with a look of confusion.   
  
"I think your hair may cause a bit of a problem," he said, "it would be better if you cut some of it off."   
  
"Errr ok," Misaki said slowly, she'd always had long hair and she was a bit nervous about cutting it short.   
  
"Let's go back to the house and I'll cut it for you," said Goten.   
  
Soon the two of them were in the kitchen with Misaki nervously sitting in a chair while Goten grabbed some scissors.   
  
"Ok I've never actually done this before but I should be able to do this fine. Besides, if I stuff it up, I'll pay for the hairdresser," Goten said.   
***************************************************   
"Aaaarrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhh," Bulma screamed as she came into the living room, "Misaki what happened to your beautiful hair!"   
  
"Cut it," she said simply as she rubbed her now sore ears due to Bulma's screeching.   
  
"But why?" asked Bulma, looking horrified.   
  
"Caused problems when I fought," Misaki said simply.   
  
"Hey what's up?" asked Trunks as he came into the room.   
  
"Trunks looked what your daughter has done to her beautiful hair!" Bulma screeched.   
  
Trunks looked at Misaki's new hairstyle with interest. Her waist length hair had been cut to just below her chin. With her hair so short she looked a bit more like her father than her mother.   
  
"Nice, did Goten do it?" he asked with a smile.   
  
"Nah. He was about to, but Gohan arrived before he started and took the scissors off of him. So Gohan cut it for me. I think it was a wise move on his behalf," Misaki explained.   
  
"How can you be so calm about this?" Bulma said weakly, "She murdered her lovely lavender hair."   
  
"I've got no problem with it," said Trunks, "most fighters cut their hair short so it doesn't get in their way when they fight. Besides, it's her hair."   
  
"You know what the problem with you two is?" Bulma said darkly, "You're too bloody alike."   
***************************************************  
"Love the hair," Mikiko said as she leaned over hr desk to talk as their science teacher droned on.   
  
"Thanks Miki," Misaki said back, "Gohan did a pretty good job huh?"   
  
"I think so," Miki said with a smile.   
  
Misaki smiled and noticed that someone was watching them. Or to be more precise, watching Miki.   
  
Misaki looked over to see a boy with messy brown hair and brown eyes looking over at Miki with a dopey look in his eyes.   
He then noticed that Misaki had spotted him and buried his head in his textbook.   
  
"Hey who's that?" Misaki asked Miki and she jerked her thumb in the boy's direction.   
  
"Oh that's the new guy Akito Hiroi. He moved here while you were out of school. Seems like an all right guy," Miki said simply.   
Misaki decided to find a bit more about this guy.   
***************************************************  
A few days later Misaki was doing backflips down the street as she headed home. School was now out for the summer and she was glad. Goten had said that once school got out he would show her how to use some energy attacks. Her father was also taking time off so they could do something over the holidays.   
  
"Hey Ikari!" called a voice from behind.   
  
Misaki stopped halfway through her backflip and saw Akito Hiroi coming towards her as she held a handstand.   
  
"Oh hi Akito," she said as she stood up, "wassup?"   
  
"Um you're really good friends with Mikiko aren't you?" he said looking a bit embarrassed.   
  
"Yes," she said with a smile. She could see where this was going. "Do you wanna ask her out?"   
  
Jun jumped and turned a shade of red. "Well yea. And I was hoping that you could help me out a bit. You know, tell me what she likes and stuff."   
  
"Don't you worry my friend," Misaki said with a grin, "Misaki Ikari is on the job! Let's get back to my place and we'll figure something out."   
***************************************************  
"You never said your family owns Capsule Corp," said Akito as the two of them climbed the stairs to Misaki's room.   
  
"Never asked," Misaki said simply.   
  
"I was thrown by your last name," Akito explained, "how come you don't call yourself Misaki Brief?"   
  
"My father didn't marry my mother Akito," she explained as she walked into her room.   
  
"Oh right," said Akito a little awkwardly and stood in the doorway.   
"You coming in or what?" Misaki asked as she threw her bag down with the rest of her stuff on her floor.   
  
"What? I'm a guy, I can't go into a chick's room!" Akito said turning red again.   
  
"Oh you're such a wimp," groaned Misaki and walked back out into the hall, "we'll go to the kitchen then and you can be interrogated by my aunt."   
  
"That's fine," said Akito quickly and headed back down the stairs.   
  
The two walked into the kitchen where Bra was drinking tea and reading a fashion magazine.   
  
"Ok," said Misaki as she poured Akito a glass off juice after Bra had introduced herself, "where did you plan on taking Miki for the date?"   
  
"Err I dunno," Akito admitted a little embarrassed as he picked up his drink, "maybe the movies?"   
  
"Very cliché but not a bad start," said Misaki as she handed him a piece of cake, "I think Miki wanted to see that new comedy."   
  
"Great how should I ask her?" he asked.   
  
"How about 'would you like to go to the movies this Friday?'" Misaki said.   
  
"Do you think it'll work?" Akito asked hopefully.   
  
"Well it's not like her to tell you to bugger off," she said thoughtfully, "so probably yes."   
  
"What if she says no?" Akito asked, worried, "what if she hates me?"   
  
"She doesn't hate you," Misaki scoffed, "she said you were all right the other day."   
  
"Really?" Akito asked with shining eyes.   
  
"Would I lie to you Akito?" Misaki asked.   
  
"I don't think so," said Akito.   
  
"Of course not. But by the way, if you do anything more than hold her hand in that cinema you'll live to regret it." Misaki said and gave him a look that mimicked Vegeta's.   
  
"No problem," Akito gulped as he pulled nervously on his collar. 


	22. Chapter 22

"What are you doing inside on a Saturday?" Vegeta asked as he spotted Misaki sitting at her desk as he walked past her room to obey his huger.   
  
"I have about 300 homework tasks set over the summer break and Miki and Akito are out on a date. Therefore I have nothing better to do with all my time than to sort through all the crap my teachers gave me," Misaki said not even bothering to look at him.   
  
"So that's your excuse not to train with that pathetic spawn of Kakarot is it? It pretty poor if you ask me," sneered Vegeta.   
  
Misaki put down her pen and turned to face him.   
  
"Don't you call Goten that you arrogant prick," she spat, giving Vegeta look of loathing.   
  
He smirked and said, "you're not very good in the insult department brat. You're a poor excuse for a saiyan. You're not at all tough."   
  
He left the room with Misaki griping the back of the chair so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.   
  
He went to the kitchen, devoured a whole week's worth of groceries and returned to the gravity room, or what Misaki called, 'the dome of silence.'   
  
He set the gravity to 100 times earth's gravity and started to work out.   
  
Suddenly the door to the room was blown apart and the room filled with smoke. Vegeta whipped around to see who the intruder was. When the dust and smoke cleared he saw that it was Misaki, glowing wildly and looking extremely peeved.   
  
"You wanna see how tough I am!" she yelled in an attitude that reminded him of his own.   
  
"I look forward to it," he said with a smirk and moved his right foot back so that he was now standing in a fighting position.   
***************************************************  
Trunks dropped the files he was carrying when he felt two strong powers coming from downstairs. One was much stronger than the other was, but the smaller one was pretty impressive.   
  
He could tell one was Vegeta but he didn't recognise the other. Trunks then realised that it could only be one other person fighting with his father if it wasn't one of his friends.   
  
"Little idiot!" he yelled and throwing the files on the floor, he ran for the gravity room.   
***************************************************  
"Your technique is very good," said Vegeta as Misaki's fist dented the wall beside his head as he moved just in time.   
"I see Kakarot's brat taught you well."   
  
"This is just a warm up," she said with a smirk, "it wouldn't be anywhere near as fun if I went all out."   
  
"Lack of discipline and an attitude like that will get you killed in a battle," said Vegeta casually and charged at her.   
  
"Well at least I get to have some fun before I go," she said and before he punch connected, she grabbed his wrist firmly with one hand and his neck with the other. Then she lifted him and threw him over her shoulder.   
  
Vegeta landed on the hard floor and grabbed onto Misaki's leg, pulling her down. She landed on her face and Vegeta stood up. But before he could start to attack again she stood up on her hands and did a few backflips across room to get some distance between her opponent.   
"Were did you learn a move like that?" Vegeta asked as the two stood in classic stance on opposite sides of the room.   
  
"Saw it somewhere," Misaki said simply and started to power up again.   
  
"Alright kid, I've got to admit that I underestimated you, but let's put an end to these games," Vegeta said before shouting, "Big Bang Attack!"   
  
The energy beam came hurtling toward Misaki and she knew there would be point in blocking it. She then remembered what Goten had taught her a few days ago and cupped her hands together. "Kamehameha!" she yelled and both attacks hit each other head on.   
  
Both saiyans had to cover their eyes as the room filled with a blinding light.   
  
When the room when back to it's normal brightness the two fighters started up again. The started along array of kicks and punches and they were soon floating in the air. Misaki did a backflip in midair and both her feet hit Vegeta on the bottom of his jaw. He staggered back before punching her in the stomach and hammering his fist across her face.   
  
As Misaki fell she formed an energy attack of her own in her hands. She had only ever used it once by accident when she was training with Goten. A small grey orb appeared in her cupped hands and with ribbons of green electricity surrounding it. She threw it at Vegeta and she hovered centimetres from the ground before standing up again.   
  
Her attack hit Vegeta and it exploded with a large amount of grey light with bits of the gravity room walls falling to the ground.   
  
When the smoke from the attack cleared she saw Vegeta still floating where he had been before. However now his clothes were torn and he had several gashes on both his arms and legs and one across his left cheek. Misaki was unable to tell from his expression wether he was angry or impressed. But since he looked like the attack had only scratched him, Misaki started to worry. She was getting tired and Vegeta looked like he had just started to show some real power.   
  
Vegeta landed and started to attack again. Misaki blocked but didn't return the attacks. "Come on and fight!" yelled Vegeta.   
Misaki then used turbo speed to get out of his range. She didn't know how much longer she could last. Vegeta charged at her but she moved again to avoid him. "Stop running away!" he yelled and flew at her again. And once again she used Turbo speed.   
  
"Are you doing this to annoy me!?" he yelled and Misaki took this opportunity to kick him in the back. He spun around to kick her but she had moved again.   
  
"Come here and fight me you coward!" he yelled and Misaki glared at him.   
  
"The only coward in this room is you Vegeta!" she yelled.   
  
She had said the wrong thing. Vegeta went to Super Saiyan and snarled, "What did you say?"   
  
Misaki had seen Goten go to Super Saiyan before so the transformation was no big surprise to her, but seeing Vegeta transform was a lot more frightening than seeing Goten or Goku do it.   
  
"I said you were a coward," she yelled as boldly as possible with the lump of fear in her throat. "Day after day you lock yourself up in here because you're afraid to be with others. You're afraid that you might begin to like your friends, or maybe even love your family. You're afraid of your own emotions and that they might mean that you have gained a little bit of what we humans call compassion. But instead of facing these things like the rest of us you choose to ignore them. You run away from them in other words. The day you meet me you didn't hurt me because you didn't like me, it was because you were afraid that you might actually begin to like me. And because in some cases I can be more or less like you. I'm a whole lot braver than you!"   
  
Vegeta was livid. Before he could realise what he was doing, he formed the biggest energy attack he could and fired it at his own grand daughter. Misaki wasn't able to block all of it and her world plunged into darkness.   
**************************************************   
Misaki opened her eyes slowly and everything she saw was blurry. She could make out the figure that had an arm under her back supporting her, but mainly all she could see was his black eyes. He raised two fingers in front of her and asked in a desperate voice, "how man fingers do you see?"   
  
"Four," Misaki groaned and all went back again.   
***************************************************  
Misaki opened her eyes and sat up in bed. She was I her room and it was extremely quiet . There were bandages around her head, left arm and chest. She looked around and saw her Dad sleeping in an armchair beside her bed.   
  
Misaki leaned over and shook his knee in an effort to wake him up. He woke up with a start and looked over to with a surprised look on his face. "You ok?" he asked with concern.   
  
"Yea," she said, "what's going on though? Shouldn't you be working?"   
  
"Misaki you've been unconscious since your fight with Vegeta. And that was three days ago. I think work can wait," he said bluntly.   
  
"Ohh," she said, feeling stupid about her last remark, "it wasn't his fault you know, I pushed him to the edge."   
  
Trunks seemed to ignore her last comment and went onto a different topic altogether. "You hungry?" he asked.   
  
"A little," she muttered.   
  
"Ok I'll grab you some food. Soup ok?" Trunks asked and got up.   
  
"Yea soup's fine," she said and he left the room. 


	23. Chapter 23

"Have you seen the brat?" Vegeta asked Bra as he came into her room one night, a few days after Misaki had woken up.  
  
"No, not recently," Bra said as she flipped through the channels on her small TV, "you probably scared her off."   
  
Vegeta frowned and left her room. He would have to ask someone else where the brat was.   
  
He walked to the laboratory and went over to Bulma. "Woman!" he barked, "where's the brat?"   
  
"Misaki is on the roof your Royal Highness," she snapped and went back to work.   
  
Vegeta opened the lab window and flew up into the night sky. And sure enough, on the roof, there was Misaki lying on her back looking up at the stars.   
  
Not wanting to be noticed just yet, Vegeta landed behind her and picked up a notebook that she had clearly thrown across the roof.   
  
It was an incomplete and incorrect star chart that she had been doing for her summer homework. Grabbing the pencil and eraser that had been lying next to it and started to rub ut her mistakes.   
  
A few minutes later he dumped the now neatly drawn star chart on Misaki's stomach.   
  
Misaki stood up and turned to see who it was. "Oh hey Vegeta," she said a little awkwardly.   
  
"Brat," he said simply.   
  
Misaki sat back down and said sarcastically, "I see you're still wiling to call me by my pet name."   
  
There was a silence between the two and Misaki continued to gaze at the stars.   
  
"Brat."   
  
Misaki ignored him.   
  
"Misaki," he said a little quieter and sat down next to her.   
  
Misaki looked over at him with disbelief. Vegeta had never ever called her by her name. Some days she wondered if he even knew what it was.   
  
Vegeta looked now at his feet and cleared his throat. It was obvious that he was nervous.   
  
"I've only ever said sorry once and really meant it," he said slowly, "and that was when I had lost my fight to Cell and thought it was all over. But what I'm about to say is true. I'm sorry for what I did the other day. I was out of control and I knew that you couldn't have stopped the attack. You were right about me, and I'm sorry."   
  
Misaki thought she must've been hearing thing because she could hardly believe she had just heard.   
  
She then looked at the ground and smiled, "I guess this proves that I was wrong too."   
  
Vegeta looked at her with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" he asked.   
  
"I thought you weren't man enough to say when you were sorry,' Misaki explained, "I guess that's the problem with first impressions, you only get to make one."   
  
Vegeta then did something Misaki couldn't believe. He smiled. Not a smirk, not a sneer and not an arrogant grin, but a genuine smile.   
  
A little freaked by this, Misaki decided to look back at the stars. She then spotted something that caught her attention. It looked like two shooting stars, heading straight for each other.   
  
"What's that?" she asked and pointed to it.   
  
Vegeta looked up and gazed at it. "I don't know, I've never seen anything like it," he said.   
  
The two silver shooting stars continued an their journey until they collided head on. The night sky erupted with a bright silver light and the tiny silver speckles started to fall like rain.   
  
"It's like snow," someone said from behind.   
  
Both Vegeta and Misaki turned to see Trunk standing behind them. Neither of them had noticed him come up to join them.   
A memory was then relit in Misaki's mind at her father's words.   
  
"Silver Snow falls for very special people at very special times."   
  
Her mother had said that years ago and now Misaki understood what it meant. Her father sat down next to her and she hugged him tightly. Silver Snow wasn't something that happened by accident, it was something that people made happen. And it was a sign, that if you can make it happen, you could do anything.  
  
THE END 


End file.
